Mary Steenburgen biography

Book Club

Southerner Mary Steenburgen moved to New York at the age of 19 to become an actress. While trying to get her foot in the door by studying at New York's Neighborhood Playhouse, she worked as a waitress. After six years in New York, Steenburgen got her big break when she was noticed by Jack Nicholson in the reception room of the Paramount offices. She appeared in her first movie as Nicholson's onscreen wife in the Western comedy Goin' South (1978). Shortly following this, Steenburgen appeared as Lynda Dummar in the film Melvin and Howard (1980) for which she won an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.

Instead of turning this success into a high profile Hollywood lifestyle, Steenburgen opted for a more modest lifestyle, accepting more reserved roles throughout her career. She has appeared in such films as Back to the Future: Part III (1990), eventually reprising the character's voice in the animated TV show; What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993); Philadelphia (1993); and Nixon (1995) -- to name a few.

Mary's most recent credits include work on the TV series Justified and Orange is the New Black, as well as the films The Book of Love (2017) and Dean (2017).

Steenburgen has always been fond of arts and literature. In high school she was an active part in her drama class and in 2002 she returned to her high school to teach drama workshops to students. In 2006 Steenburgen received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree (literature) from Lyon College in Batesville, Arkansas.